1. Lecture Source: www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/confederation
And the Founding Fathers
…well, some of them anyways…
SOC 20
Lecture Source:

2. Founding Fathers:
The Confederation of Canada was decided in three separate conferences
The 36 delegates of these conferences are considered the original “Founding Fathers” of Canada
There are others though, that also have a claim to the title of “founding father”
So with so many Candidates, who is the most influential Founding Father?...

3. Come to your genewine poppy!
~George Brown
Gracious! Me own child don’t know me!
~William McDougall
I’m the Father of Confederation
~Sir Francis Hincks
Don’t it recognize its real daddy?
~Sir John A
Macdonald

4. George Brown
Was an emigrant from Scotland who founded the Globe newspaper
He quickly entered politics and supported the reformers, who were campaigning for “Rep by Pop”
In 1864, he proposed the “Great Coalition” to John A. Macdonald and George Etienne Cartier
He played a major role in the Charlottetown and Quebec conferences
He resigned from the coalition in 1865

5. George Brown
Brown’s recognition of the importance of the French Canadian perspective has impacted Quebec to this day
In a speech in 1865, he said:
“Whether we ask for parliamentary reform for Canada alone or in union with the Maritime provinces, the views of French Canadians must be consulted as well as ours. This scheme can be carried, and no scheme can be that has not the support of both sections of the province” (that is, united Canada)

6. Sir Francis Hincks
An emigrant from Ireland and successful businessman in York
Became a close friend of William Warren Baldwin and his son, Robert Baldwin
He established The Examiner in York with the goal of promoting Responsible Government
This paper later merged with George Brown’s The Globe
Over time, these joint newspapers became known as The Globe and Mail!

7. Sir Francis Hincks
He was a premier of the province of Canada from
He had a vision of a railroad linking British North America, which led to the Grand Trunk Railway
He had a desire for responsible government, and a railroad to unite the vast territory of the North

8. William McDougall
Practiced law in Toronto and later expanded into journalism
He later dropped journalism and became solely involved in politics
He wanted to see Canada expand to the West and his goal was to acquire the land owned by the Hudson’s Bay Company
He attended all three conferences leading to Confederation

9. William McDougall
He was named Minister of Public Works in Macdonald’s government of 1867
In 1869, he was named the first lieutenant- governor of the Northwest Territories
However, Metis led by Louis Riel prevented him from entering the territory (Red River Rebellion)
From then on, he vehemently opposed Manitoba’s efforts to join Confederation
Believed that power should not be granted to Manitoba until they had a large enough population

10. Sir John A. Macdonald
An emigrant from Scotland, he studied law at 15 and opened his own office at 19
He helped form the 1854 coalition with the reformers and French Canadians
In 1864, he accepted George Brown’s “Great Coalition” to bring about Constitutional Change
He became the first Prime Minister due to his “nation- building efforts”
His vision was of a united country in British North America. But one where Ontario & Quebec held power

11. Sir John A. Macdonald In his first term as Prime Minister he:
Added Manitoba, PEI, and BC as provinces
Acquired the North-West territory that would later become Alberta and Saskatchewan
Began the Intercontinental Railway
Goal: Unite Quebec City and Halifax
In his second term he:
Built the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR)
Dealt with the Red River Rebellion of Louis Riel

12. The Creation of a Nation
Pressures for Confederation
Charlottetown Conference
Quebec Conference
London Conference

13. Pressures for Confederation
Internal
External
Political Deadlock
Desire for an inter-colony railroad to improve trade, military movement, and transportation
Population expansion
Desire for economic development: “economic nationalism”
“Manifest Destiny” and possible invasion from the USA
The American Civil War and its reactions
The Fenian Raids
Change to British colonial policy (Britain no longer wanted to maintain soldiers in its colonies)

14. Charlottetown Conference 1864
The Maritime colonies (Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, PEI) were thinking about a Maritime union
Then John A. Macdonald requested that the province of Canada join the talks
Official proceedings began September 1st
Little or no public record of what was said. However, the main topics discussed were:
Arguments in favour of a union
Possible financial arrangements
What a united government might look like
It was decided that the Conference warranted additional discussion, to be held in Quebec

15. Charlottetown Conference 1864
Foundations for the new country:
Preservation of ties with Great Britain
A bicameral system of government
Lower Hhouse = rep by pop, based on elections
Upper House = representation based on regional rather than provincial equality
Responsible government at ALL levels of government
Appointment of a governor general by the British Crown

16. Quebec Conference 1864
The Quebec Conference was held where the Chateau Frontenac sits today

17. Quebec Conference 1864
Attendees: Province of Canada, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, PEI, Newfoundland
However, John A. Macdonald was the dominant figure during these talks
Resulted in the creation of the “Quebec Resolutions”
72 resolutions that would form the basis of the new nation
Detailed who would have authority and so on

18. The Quebec Conference

19. Quebec Resolutions
1. The best interests and present and future prosperity of British North America will be promoted by a Federal Union under the Crown of Great Britain, provided such Union can be effected on principles just to the several provinces.
17. The basis of representation in the House of Commons shall be population, as determined by the official census every 10 years; and the number of members
Upper Canada 82 Newfoundland 8
Lower Canada 65 Prince Edward Island 5
Nova Scotia 19 New Brunswick 15

20. Quebec Resolutions
46. Both the English and French languages may be employed in the General Parliament and its proceedings, and in the local legislature of Lower Canada, and also in the Federal courts and in the Courts of Lower Canada
68. The General Government shall secure, without delay, the completion of the Intercolonial Railway from Riviere-du-Loup, through New Brunswick, to Truro in Nova Scotia

21. London Conference 1866
Held in December, the delegates reviewed the wording of the Quebec resolutions
Following Christmas, these “London Resolutions” were drafted into proposed bills, and delegates met with British officials to finalize the text
The name “Canada” was easily decided
As well as “Ontario” and “Quebec” for its two parts
Ultimately, the new nation was designated a “dominion”
“He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth.” – Psalm 72

22. London Conference There were difficulties though:
An anti-union delegation from Nova Scotia, led by Joseph Howe, wanted to overturn any union agreement
They were unsuccessful

23. The British North America Act 1867
The resulting act of the three conferences received Royal Assent on March 29, 1867
Union was set to be held on July 1, 1867
There were four initial provinces
1867: Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia
1870: Manitoba, North-West Territories
1871: British Columbia
1873: Prince Edward Island
1898: Yukon
1905: Alberta & Saskatchewan
1949: Newfoundland (Newfoundland & Labrador in 2001)
1999: Nunavut

24. A Nation is Born